Comments on: Excelling Under Pressure http://blog.oup.com/2012/08/excelling-under-pressure-athlete-music/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:31:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Richard Causton, the EUYO, and the Cultural Olympiad | OUPblog http://blog.oup.com/2012/08/excelling-under-pressure-athlete-music/#comment-388243 Richard Causton, the EUYO, and the Cultural Olympiad | OUPblog Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:57:20 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=27172#comment-388243 [...] for the Edinburgh International Festival, composer Richard Causton explains the connections between musicians and athletes, and writing a piece for the Cultural Olympiad. Richard Causton was born in London in 1971 and [...] [...] for the Edinburgh International Festival, composer Richard Causton explains the connections between musicians and athletes, and writing a piece for the Cultural Olympiad. Richard Causton was born in London in 1971 and [...]

]]> By: Oxford Music in 2012 | OUPblog http://blog.oup.com/2012/08/excelling-under-pressure-athlete-music/#comment-331159 Oxford Music in 2012 | OUPblog Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:05:24 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=27172#comment-331159 [...] Dana Vollmer linked to our blog post by Gerald Klickstein about how musicians and athletes can excel under pressure. #bbpBox_232907154674311168 a { text-decoration:none; color:#990000; }#bbpBox_232907154674311168 [...] [...] Dana Vollmer linked to our blog post by Gerald Klickstein about how musicians and athletes can excel under pressure. #bbpBox_232907154674311168 a { text-decoration:none; color:#990000; }#bbpBox_232907154674311168 [...]

]]> By: OUPblog » Blog Archive » An Olympic roundup of blog posts http://blog.oup.com/2012/08/excelling-under-pressure-athlete-music/#comment-286183 OUPblog » Blog Archive » An Olympic roundup of blog posts Sun, 12 Aug 2012 10:31:36 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=27172#comment-286183 [...] is the relationship between athletics and music? Excelling Under Pressure by Gerald [...] [...] is the relationship between athletics and music? Excelling Under Pressure by Gerald [...]

]]> By: Gerald Klickstein http://blog.oup.com/2012/08/excelling-under-pressure-athlete-music/#comment-285901 Gerald Klickstein Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:27:53 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=27172#comment-285901 Thanks Wendy & J A for contributing. JA: I agree that self-focused attention can be detrimental to performance - e.g., a pianist focusing on how her hands feel as opposed to the emotional content of her music. Although mindful performers use their awareness to counter physical problems - e.g., they breathe deeply and release muscle tension to quell the jitters that arise due to fight-or-flight activation - as Pianist 2 illustrates, they focus on expressing the music they perform and not on themselves. They're able to do so effectively because of the inclusive nature of their preparation, which liberates them to make art even in highly stressful situations. Thanks Wendy & J A for contributing.

JA: I agree that self-focused attention can be detrimental to performance – e.g., a pianist focusing on how her hands feel as opposed to the emotional content of her music.

Although mindful performers use their awareness to counter physical problems – e.g., they breathe deeply and release muscle tension to quell the jitters that arise due to fight-or-flight activation – as Pianist 2 illustrates, they focus on expressing the music they perform and not on themselves. They’re able to do so effectively because of the inclusive nature of their preparation, which liberates them to make art even in highly stressful situations.

]]> By: J A http://blog.oup.com/2012/08/excelling-under-pressure-athlete-music/#comment-285789 J A Thu, 09 Aug 2012 22:51:13 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=27172#comment-285789 I agree with the fact that Pianist 2's ability to understand and self-regulate their emotions will be beneficial to performance. But being mindful of the feelings of a performance (I.e. feeling of swimming through the water) sounds very much like a form of self-focused attention. There is a huge body of literature that clearly shows self-focused attention to be detrimental to the performance of self-paced skills (e.g. penalty kicks, piano-solo, golf putt etc.). So while it may work for the swimmer, I would never suggest it to to a pianist. I would much rather teach them about the characteristics and meaning of their emotions and how they may actually be beneficially to rheir performance. I agree with the fact that Pianist 2′s ability to understand and self-regulate their emotions will be beneficial to performance. But being mindful of the feelings of a performance (I.e. feeling of swimming through the water) sounds very much like a form of self-focused attention. There is a huge body of literature that clearly shows self-focused attention to be detrimental to the performance of self-paced skills (e.g. penalty kicks, piano-solo, golf putt etc.). So while it may work for the swimmer, I would never suggest it to to a pianist. I would much rather teach them about the characteristics and meaning of their emotions and how they may actually be beneficially to rheir performance.

]]> By: Wendy Wiseman http://blog.oup.com/2012/08/excelling-under-pressure-athlete-music/#comment-285570 Wendy Wiseman Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:11:08 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=27172#comment-285570 Fantastic insight! I have lived these moments over and over as a performer. Fantastic insight! I have lived these moments over and over as a performer.

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